Combination wire wrap and unwrap tool



Oct. 19, 1965 E. c. BIGELOW ETAL 3,

COMBINATION WIRE WRAP AND UNWRAP TOOL Filed Dec. 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR5 ATTORNEY Oct. 19, 1965 E. c. BIGELOW ETAL 3,212,536

COMBINATION WIRE WRAP AND UNWRAP TOOL Filed Dec. 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ii 61 Kayak azlffarfiww ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,212,536 COMBINATION WIRE WRAP AND UNWRAP TOOL Eugene C. Bigelow, Stamford, Conn., and Chauncey M.

Horton, Thornwood, N.Y., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 242,449 8 Claims. (Cl. 140-124) This invention relates to a combination wire wrap and unwrap tool, and more particularly to a tool for wrapping or unwrapping convolutions of wire which form a wrapped wire or solderless connection with a terminal.

It isfrequently necessary to relocate or remove wire leads attached to terminals. In the repair of circuit assemblies, for example, wherein wrapped solderless connections are formed between component lead wires and terminals, it is necessary to unwrap the wire leads to replace the component and then wrap the new component leads to the terminal.

Additionally, in a central oifice of a telephone system, subscriber lines are often attached to a terminal bank by wrapped wire connections. The subscriber lines are frequently relocated due to increased or decreased telephone service requirements of the subscribers served by the central oflice. The process of relocating the subscriber lines requires the wrapped wire connections to be loosened and new connections made at other terminals.

An object of this invention is a new and improved apparatus for removing or replacing wire connection-s from or on terminals.

Another object of this invention isto provide facilities for applying a continuous unwrapping force to wire leads wrapped on terminals to effect removal of the wire leads from the terminals or to apply a continuous wrapping force to wire leads to apply the wire leads to terminals.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a tool for unwrapping a wire connection from a terminal wherein a resilient driving mechanism is rendered effective upon release of a locking instrumentality for continuouslly driving the tool through an unwrapping cycle to loosen the wire connection or by rendering the resilient driving mechanism and locking instrumentality functionless, to convert the device to a wrapping tool.

A still further object of invention resides in the provision of instrumentalities for indexing an unwrapping instrumentality to a predetermined position to facilitate unwrapping of a selected number of convolutions of a wrapped wire connection from a terminal.

An additional object of this invention is the provision of a combination bit which can be used for both wrapping or unwrapping wire depending .upon the direction of rotation of the bit.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention contemplates a hand tool having a spring-actuated trigger for rotating a bit to remove a wrapped wire connection f-rom a terminal. Upon manual operation of the trigger, the spring is conditioned, whereafter a releasable latching mechanism is eliective to secure the trigger in a predetermined position for actuation by the spring. The bit is then advanced over the terminal and into engagement with the wrapped connection. The latching mechanism is released to permit the spring to actuate the trigger for rotating the bit through a predetermined number of revolutions in a continuous rotary unwrapping movement. To convert this mechanism to a wrapping tool, the spring and latch mechanisms are rotated out of use and attached to the handle, whereby the rearward movement of the trigger is not arrested by the latch mechanism, allowing as many revolutions as are necessary to facilitate the ice wrapping operation. A combination bit is provided to accomplish both modes of operation depending upon the direction of rotation of the bit.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent and a complete understanding of this invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away elevational view of a hand tool for unwrapping a wrapped wire connection according to the principles of the invention, illustrating a spring for urging a trigger into an open position and also illustrating a spring for forcing a latch mechanism into engagement with the trigger;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the hand tool shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the latch and spring assembly in a non-functional position to convert the device into a wrapping tool;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing a transmission driven by the trigger and the latch mechanism. for arresting the rearward movement of the trigger in anticipation of a unwrapping action;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3 showing the latching mechanism for rele-asably maintaining the trigger in the closed position;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a trigger driving spring;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the trigger driving spring;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the combination bit that is rotated by the hand tool for wrapping or unwrapping a wire connection on or from a terminal;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the combination bit showing the bit positioned over the terminal;

FIG. 9 is an end view of the driving spring shown in FIG. 5 showing an opening in the upper tang which receives the latch mechanism;

FIG. 10 is an elevational view showing the wrapped wire connection that may be unwrapped from a terminal by the hand tool and bit shown in the other views; and

FIG. 11 is an elevation view of the combination wrap and unwrap bit showing the sleeve and connecting key.

Referring first to FIG. 10, a circuit mounting or terminal bank 10 is shown provided with a terminal 11 having a wrapped wire connection 12 which may be wrapped or unwrapped by a tool 14 (FIGS. 1 and 2) constructed according to the principles of this invention. The tool 14 is shown including a combination wrapping and unwrapping bit 16 mounted within a sleeve 17 and provided with notches or teeth 18 (FIGS. 7 and 8) for grasping and transmitting an unwrapping force to an end 19 of the wire connection 12. The bit 16 is pushed on the terminal 11 so that the terminal is inserted in a longitudinal bore 20 provided in the bit. The bit is advanced toward the wrapped connection 12 until the teeth 18 engage the end 19 of the wrapped connection. The bit 16 is then continuously rotated counterclockwise (if the connection was wrapped clockwise) which causes the connection to unwind and expand within the sleeve 17 (FIG. 11) until it is loosened from the terminal 11.

In FIGS. 7 and 8, for wrapping a wire lead onto terminal 11, the bit 16 is provided in one end with a groove 9 for receiving the wire lead to be wrapped. A slot 6 is formed in the sleeve 17 which is positioned at a convenient location to anchor the wire to the stationary sleeve during the wrapping operation. A wire to be wrapped is inserted into the groove 9 on one end of the bit 16. The end of the wire projecting from the groove is bent to project through the slot 6 of the sleeve 17. The bore 20 of the bit 16 is then placed over the terminal 11 and upon rotation of the bit within the stationary position (FIG. 2). the trigger '36 for driving the transmission 42 to rotate 3 sleeve 17, the wire is turned by the bit around the terminal to wrap the wire on the terminal.

Referring in detail to FIG. 1, the tool 14 is shown in a configuration suitable for manipulation :by hand and includes a housing '31 provided with an elongated section or handle 32. The handle 32 is bifurcated at one end 33 for receiving a reduced end portion 34 of a trigger or lever 36. A pivot pin 37 is passed through apertures 38 (FIG 3) provided in the handle 32 and the trigger 36 for pivotally supporting the trigger 36. A coil spring '35 is mounted on the reduced portion 34 for urging the trigger -36 counterclockwise into an open position when the tool 14 is used to wrap solderless connections 12.

A sect-or gear 39 is connected to the other end of the trigger 36 by a web or thin bracket 41 for rotating a transmission 42. The transmission 42 includes a pinion gear 43 that meshes with the sector gear 39 for driving a shaft 44 that is mounted for rotation in the housing 31. The shaft 44 rotates a bevel gear 46 which drives a cone gear 47. The cone gear 47 is mounted on a spindle 48 that is journalled in the housing 31. The other end of the bit "16 is keyed at 50 (FIG. 11) toprovide a quick detachable coupling with a mating key (not shown) on the rotating spindle 48.

The tool 14 may be utilized for wrapping wire connections. A wrapping operation may be effected by rotating the trigger 36 toward the handle 32 into a closed The sector gear 39 is advanced by the spindle 4S and the wrapping bit clockwise. When the trigger '36 is released, the coil spring 35 is effective to return the trigger to the open position.

In accordance with the invention, additional facilities are assembled with the tool 14 for unwrapping solderless connections. For this purpose, a spring 51 is interposed between the handle 32 and the trigger 36 for urging the trigger into the open position and consequently urging the bit in a counterclockwise rotation against the resistance of the wrapped connection 12. The spring 51 may be of the leaf type (FIGS. and 6) for exerting a uniform force in moving from a closed or cocked state as shown in the phantom view in FIG. 1 to an initial semi-expanded state. Thus, when the trigger 36 is rotated into the closed position, the spring 5 1 is conditioned for applying a uniform force on the trigger for driving the transmission 42 to rotate the bit 16 counterclockwise and unwrap the connection -12. The spring '51 is provided with tabs or leg members 52 which straddle the upper portion of the trigger 36 to hold the spring on the trigger. The other end of the spring is provided with a lower tang or projection 53 which fits into a slot 54 (FIGS. 2

and 3) provided in the handle 32 to pivotally anchor the spring in the tool handle.

A releasable latch or locking mechanism 56 is provided for permitting an operator to selectively commence the unwrapping. operation without the necessity of suddenly releasing his fingers from the trigger 36 and thus limiting the force applied to the trigger by the spring '51. The latching mechanism includes a detent latch or plate 57 (FIG. 4) mounted at one end 60 to the housing 31 by a cross tang or T-shaped projection 58 that is received in a slot 59. The T-shaped projection 58 has one face 55 formed at an offset angle 68 with respect to the face of a leaf spring 69 which bears against the tang 58 (FIG. 1) applying the greatest amount of its force to the edge 49 of the projection 58 thereby causing the detent latch 57 to be biased with a counterclockwise force about the end 60. counterclockwise movement of the latch 57 is precluded by a pivot arm 67 extending arcuately in an upward direction from the latch '57 into engagement with the side of housmg 31 (see FIG. 3).

The latch 57 is provided at the other end 64 with an arm 61 having .a hook 62. A tab 63, secured to or formed on the latch 57, extends transversely therefrom intermediate the ends 60 and 64. The tab 63 is provided with a downwardly extending portion or release button 66 which may be engaged by the operators thumb or finger. When the extending portion 66 of the tab 63 is pushed down, the pivot arm 67 bearing against the housing 31 at a point 30, causes the latch to move away from the web 41 connected to the trigger 36. As a result, the hook 62 is released from engagement with the web 41 and the trigger 36 is allowed to move forward under the force of spring 51 and the coil spring 35.

The latch mechanism 56 is assembled with the spring 51 by inserting the T-shaped projection 58 of the latch through a hole 71 (FIG. 9) in the upper tang 72 (FIG. 5) of spring 51. The latch and spring assembly may then in turn be assembled to the tool handle 32 by placing the end 60 of the latch with its T-shaped projection 58 and the lower tang 53 of the spring '51 into a slot 54 provided in the handle 32 (see FIGS. 1 and 3). The upper tang 72 of the spring 51 prevents the spring from riding up or out of the slot 54 when the spring 51 is compressed by the clockwise movement of the trigger 36. The lower tang 53 anchors the spring 51 in the slot 54 and provides a pivot for the spring and latch assembly when the assembly is placed in a non-functioning position. The other end of the spring 51 is bifurcated as shown at 73 (FIG. 6) to keep the spring from shifting on the handle and to allow easy removal and replacement of the spring to and from the trigger when converting the tool to the wrapping or unwrapping mode.

The latch mechanism 56 may be assembled with the tool 14 by positioning the latch 57 so that the cross tang 58 is in a vertical orientation. The cross tang 58 is then inserted into the slot 59 and the latch 57 rotated into a horizontal position so that the leaf spring 69 engages the projection 58 of the latch 56 and a surface 76 of the hook 62 engages one side of the web 41. With the leaf spring 69 bearing against the T-shaped projection 58, the leaf spring is effective to urge the pivot arm 67 into engagement with the housing 31 and to urge the surface 76 into engagement with the side 74 of the web 41 when the trigger "36 is in the open position shown in FIG. 1. When the trigger '36 is rotated into the cocked or retracted position shown in the phantom view of FIG. 1, the hook 62 rides over the side 74 of the web and is urged downwardly (as viewed in FIG. 4) under the action of the leaf spring 69. The hook 62 engages a front edge 79 of the web for locking the trigger in the closed position (phantom view FIG. 1).

When the device is to be used as a wrapping tool (FIG. 2), the spring and latch assembly is placed in a nonfunctioning position by depressing the spring 51 to remove the bifurcated end 73 of the spring 51 and the projecting legs 52 from the trigger 36. The spring and latch assembly is then pivoted on tang 53 of the spring 5 1 about the projection 58 of the latch 56 and the legs 52 are snapped or forced on the handle 32 of the tool.

In the operation of the tool 14 in the unwrapping mode and with the latch mechanism 56 and spring 51 in the positions as shown in FIG. 1, the operator grips and presses the handle 32 to rotate the trigger 36 into the closed or cocked position (phantom view FIG. 1). The book 62 of the latch 57 is effective to lock the trigger 36 in the closed position. The operator then releases the trigger 36 and moves the bore 20 over the terminal 11 having a wrapped wire connection 12. Upon engaging the teeth 18 (FIG. 7) with the end 19 (-FIG. 10) of the wrapped connection, the operator presses the release button 66 which pivots the latch about the arm 67 and moves the hook 62 out of engagement with the front edge 79 of the web 41 for releasing the trigger 36. The spring 51 is rendered effective to rotate the now released trigger 36 counterclockwise into the open position (FIG. 1). The trigger 36 advances the sector gear 39 which drives the transmission 42 for rotating the bit 16 counterclockwise to unwrap the wire connection 12 from the terminal 11. Inasmuch as the hook 62 is effective to lock the trigger 36 in a predetermined position, the transmission 42 rotates the bit 16 through the predetermined number of counterclockwise revolutions necessary to unwind a predetermined or desired number of convolutions from the terminal 11.

To operate the tool in the wrapping mode, the spring 51 is slightly compressed to withdraw the legs 52 from engagement with the trigger 36. The entire spring and latch assembly are then rotated downwardly until the legs 52 of spring 51 are brought into straddling engagement with the handle 32 (FIG. 2). Having rendered the spring and latch assembly functionless, the operator may now insert a wire lead to be wrapped into the groove 9 of the bit 16 and anchor the end of t-hewire in the slot 6 of the sleeve 17. The bore 20 of the bit 16 is then placed over the terminal 11 land the handle is gripped to rotate the trigger into the closed position (FIG. 2) which affects a clockwise rotation of the bit 16 wrapping the wire 12 on the terminal 11. The absence of the latch mechanism, having been stowed on the handle, allowsthe trigger to make its full travel insuring an adequate number of turns for the wrapping operation. After the wire has been wrapped, the trigger is released, and the coil spring 35 urges the trigger counterclockwise into the open position (Phantom view FIG. 2).

When the trigger 36reaches the outward or open position FIG. 1), a spacer 77 mounted on the end of the sector gear 39 engages a stop 78 thatis mounted on the housing 31. Spacers 77, having varying thicknesses, may be selectively mounted on the sector gear 39 for adjusting the final rotative position assumed by the bit 16 when the trigger 36 is in the open position, the initial position having been determined by the meshing of the cone gear 47 with the bevel gear 46. Additionally, the arm 61 of the latching mechanism may be constructed separately from the latch 57 and provided with fasteners for adjusting the hook 62 relative to the latch 57 for varying the location of the closed position of the trigger 36. In this manner, the number of unwrapping revolutions of the bit 16 may be selected according to the number of convolutions of various wrapped connections 12.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus provided with a tool for unwrapping a wire connection Wound on a terminal,

a housing provided with a handle,

transmission means mounted in the housing for actuating the tool,

a trigger pivotally mounted on the handle and provided with means for driving the transmission means,

resilient means interposed between the handle and the trigger and being of sufiicient strength for pivotably driving the trigger to actuate the tool and thereby unwrap a connection, and

means for selectively locking the trigger against movement under the action of said resilient means.

2. A device for rotating a -bit to unwrap convolutions of a wire wrapped about a terminal wherein the bit engages the wire and is rotated by a gear train actuated by a trigger pivotally mounted on a handle, which comprises a spring interposed between the trigger and the handle and being of sufiicient strength for pivotably driving the trigger to rotate the bit and thereby unwrap the convolutions of wire,

a latch rendered effective by the pivoting of the trigger for holding the trigger to maintain the spring compressed, and

a release member for said latch to render said spring effective to pivot the trigger and rotate the bit.

3. A device for moving a trigger relative to a handle to drive a bit for unwrapping a wire connection wound on a terminal, which comprises a spring interposed between said trigger and said handle and being of sufiicient strength for imparting a force to said trigger when said spring moves from a compressed to an expanded condition to drive the bit to unwrap the wire connection,

a latch rendered effective by movement of the trigger toward the handle for engaging and holding the trigger to maintain the spring in said compressed condition, and

a member for releasing said latch to render said spring efiective to move the trigger relative to said handle to drive said bit with a uniform force.

4. In a wire unwrapping tool having a bit and a transmission for rotating the bit mounted in a housing to unwrapa wrapped connection wound on a terminal,

a handle depending from said housing,

a trigger pivotally mounted on the depending end of the handle and projecting into the housing,

a latch pivotally mounted in the handle for holding the trigger in a cocked position,

means for pivoting the latch to release the cocked trigger,

means on the trigger for driving the transmission, and

a spring interposed between said trigger and handle and being of sufiicient strength when rendered effective by the release of the cocked latch to pivotally drive the trigger to operate the transmission driving means to unwrap a connection.

5. In a device for rotating a bit in a first direction to wrap convolutions of wire about a terminal wherein the bit engages the wire and is rotated by a gear train actuated by a trigger movably mounted in a housing, the combination of means for rotating the bit in an opposite direction to unwrap the wire wrapped on said terminal, which means comprises a spring acting on said trigger,

a latch movably mounted to engage and hold said trigger in a cocked position when said trigger is moved a predetermined distance against the action of said spring, and

means on said latch for moving said latch to disengage the trigger to render said spring effective to drive the trigger and gear train to rotate said bit in said opposite direction.

6. In a mechanism for removing a wire connection from a terminal,

a bit for engaging the wire connection,

means for rotating the bit to unwrap the wire from the terminal,

a housing for supporting the rotating means,

a gear having a web portion for actuating the rotating means,

a trigger secured to the web portion and movable on the housing into retracted and extended positions for operating the gear,

a iirst spring compressed by movement of the trigger nto the retracted position for urging the trigger into the extended position to rotate the bit,

a plate mounted in the housing and provided with a hook at one end for engaging the web portion and a beveled tab for releasably maintaining the hook in engagement with the web portion to selectively lock the trigger in the retracted position,

a second spring mounted in the handle for biasing the plate to urge the hook into latching engagement with i the trigger when the trigger is in the retracted position, and

a thumb release arm projecting from the plate for moving the plate against the action of the second spring to release the hook and render the first spring effective.

7. In a tool for unwinding a wire wrapped around a terminal,

a bit rotatably mounted in said housing for engaging and unwinding the wire from the terminal,

a gear mechanism connected to and actuated by the trigger for rotating the bit,

a latch plate having an angularly offset tang at one end mounted in the handle and a hook at the other end for engaging the side of the trigger,

a pivot arm extending from the latch into engagement with the housing,

a first spring mounted in the handle and engaging the tang for imparting a rotative force to the latch plate to urge the pivot arm into engagement with the housing andthe hook into latching engagement with the trigger when said trigger is depressed,

a second spring interposed between the trigger and the handle for exerting a force on the latched trigger, and

a release arm extending laterally from the latch plate for pivoting the latch plate on the pivot arm to move the hook from latching engagement with the trigger to render the second spring effective to pivot the trigger and drive transmission to rotate the bit.

8. In a device for wrapping and unwrapping a wire onto and from a terminal,

' a shaft having an axial bore extending inwardly from one end thereof for insertion over the terminal,

a projection extending longitudinally from the bored end face of said shaft for engaging an end of the wrapped wire,- I

a sleeve mounted on said shaft and extending over the bored end of said shaft and said projections for confining unwrapped convolutions of wire,

means for rotating the shaft in a first direction on the terminal for unwrapping the wire within the sleeve,

said shaft having a longitudinal groove formed on the periphery thereof for receiving a wire to be wrapped on a terminal positioned within said bore,

said sleev having a notch extending inwardly from the end for receiving and anchoring an upturned end of the wire held in said groovev upon rotation of said shaft during wrapping of the wire on the terminal, and

a means for rotating said shaft within said sleeve in a second direction on the terminal for wrapping the wire on the terminal.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED'STATES PATENTS 2,648,356 8/53 Beaulieu et al. 140 124 3,019,517 2/62 Lovecky 140-424 Y FOREIGN PATENTS 529,213 8/56 Canada.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN AN APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH A TOOL FOR UNWRAPPING A WIRE CONNECTION WOUND ON A TERMINAL, A HOUSING PROVIDED WITH A HANDLE, TRANSMISSION MEANS MOUNTED IN THE HOUSING FOR ACTUATIN THE TOOL, A TRIGGER PRIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE HANDLE AND PROVIDED WITH MEANS FOR DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION MEANS, RESILIENT MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE HANDLE AND THE TRIGGER AND BEING OF SUFFICIENT STRENGTH FOR PIVOTABLY DRIVING THE TRIGGER TO ACTUATE THE TOOL AND THEREBY UNWRAP A CONNECTION, AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY LOCKING THE TRIGGER AGAINST MOVEMENT UNDER THE ACTION OF SAID RESILIENT MEANS. 